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NAME: Eyre Peninsula Graphite Project
LOCATION: Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
STAGE: Advanced Development
TARGET: Graphite
Overview
iTech owns 100% of the Eyre Peninsula Graphite Project (formerly the Campoona Project), a significantly de-risked, advanced development opportunity in the heart of an emerging graphite hotspot, set to capitalise on the growing appetite for graphite.
The project has a Global Mineral Resource of 35.2 million tonnes at 6.0% Total Graphitic Carbon (TGC) across multiple deposits on the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia. iTech has a mining lease for the Campoona Deposit and two licences for the processing of graphite and the transport of processing water from the nearby bore field.
iTech has conducted extensive metallurgical test work on samples from the project and has repeatedly achieved high recovery rates of up to 95% when producing 94% Graphite concentrate. Testwork has also shown that the graphite concentrates produced from the Eyre Peninsula Project are suitable for producing battery anodes.
A TIMELINE OF EXPLORATION
The Resource
Deposits
The Eyre Peninsula Graphite project has a Global Mineral Resource of 35.2 million tonnes at 6.0% TGC across multiple deposits on the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia.
Lacroma Deposit
The Lacroma Graphite Deposit is located approximately 20 km south-west of Kimba on the central Eyre Peninsula and <20 km from iTech’s proposed graphite processing plant for the Campoona Deposit. The Lacroma Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate is 26.6 Mt at 5.0% Total Graphitic Carbon (TGC), at a minimum cut-off grade of 2% TGC (Table 2). This comprises 21.6 Mt at 5.3% TGC in the Indicated category and a further 5 Mt at 4.6% TGC in the Inferred category.
The Campoona Deposit
The Campoona Deposit is a JORC 2012 Global Mineral Resource of 8.55 million tonnes at an average grade of 9.0% Total Graphitic Carbon (TGC) across three areas: Campoona, Campoona Central and Wilclo South.
Prospects
Sugarloaf Exploration Target
iTech has identified a Graphite Exploration Target of 158 – 264 Mt @ 7 – 12 % TGC at Sugarloaf. Previously identified as microcrystalline graphite, iTech believes it has suitable characteristics to be used in the anodes of lithium-ion batteries. iTech is currently working with specialist battery materials consultants, ANZAPLAN, to don extensive program of metallurgical test work to determine if Sugarloaf graphite can be processed for use in the anodes of lithium-ion batteries
Mettalurgy
In 2019, Archer Materials undertook a small-scale mechanical mill trial of its flake graphite from the Campoona Deposit and successfully produced spherical graphite from both its 95% and 99+% purity products.
In 2022, working with partner ANZAPLAN, iTech was able to produce a larger sample of spherical graphite from a 600kg run of mine sample. Importantly the 99.99% purity was achieved with both caustic baking and autoclave assisted caustic leach methods which eliminate the use of hydrofluoric acid.
Testing of the product confirmed it was within or exceeds all relevant industry standard parameters for lithium-ion battery anode material. High yields of spherical product, of 47%, show the potential for excellent conversion of flake into high value spherical graphite. Additionally, the ability to purify the flake concentrate to 99.99% FC prior to spheronisation, opens the possibility to produce a high value purified fine product rather than the normally low value waste generated during spheronisation.
Lithium ion batteries constructed from Campoona Graphite undergoing performance testing
Graphite Products
Graphite Concentrate being produced by METS Engineering
94% Graphite Concentrate
In May 2024, iTech Minerals and metallurgical consultants, METS Engineering, achieved a significant milestone with the production of a 94% TGC concentrate from samples taken from the Lacroma Graphite Deposit. Importantly, the test work had exceptional recoveries of ~95% through a conventional graphite flotation process (non-chemical, non-thermal) with potential for improvement with further optimisation test work. The bench scale metallurgical tests also achieved high purity fine flake graphite suitable for purified spherical graphite (PSG) production.
Spherical Graphite
A potential application of the Eyre Peninsula graphite is the manufacture of spherical graphite; a valued commodity manufactured from naturally occurring flake graphite. Spherical graphite has high value applications in the anodes of lithium-ion batteries and demands a price premium of US$3400 to US$4,400 per tonne.
99.99% carbon spherical graphite produced from Eyre Peninsula Graphite Concentrate (SEM image; 5kV, 1000x magnification, image ~ 320 microns across)
Graphene produced from Campoona Graphite undergoing testing at the University of Adelaide
GRAPHENE
While graphite extraction for battery production is one possible application for the Eyre Peninsula Graphite project, other opportunities exist. Graphene is a manufactured form of graphite a single atom thick. It is an important and high-value emerging technology in electronics, medicine and chemical and industrial industries. The Company could, subject to market demand, produce graphene for this emerging market.
INFRASTRUCTURE
On a global scale, the Eyre Peninsula Graphite Project is well positioned to supply increasing demand for Graphite and Battery materials in Asia.
The Project is in the heart of an emerging graphite district, and close to established energy infrastructure, transportation routes, facilities and shipping options. It is less than 30 kilometres from rail infrastructure and 70 kilometres from the industrial city of Whyalla. Whyalla is a potential location for the construction of a processing plants, while port facilities at Lucky Bay provides an alternative option for direct shipping of ore or processed products.
WATCH: While in the field, iTech Minerals MD Mike Schwarz discussed the new energy infrastructure that will hopefully give $ITM an edge as it continues to progress the Campoona #Graphite Project in South Australia. #RenewableEnergy #Graphite
A source of potable water for wet processing exists at the Eyre Peninsula Graphite Project, with up to 80 megalitres per annum from the existing SA Water Jamieson Tank mains water system. Additional water requirements may be met with piped mains water, low salinity groundwater and, recycling and filtered processed water.